1 N ow about that time Herod the king laid hands on some who belonged to the church in order to mistreat them.

2 A nd he had James the brother of John put to death with a sword.

3 W hen he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread.

4 W hen he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.

5 S o Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.

6 O n the very night when Herod was about to bring him forward, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards in front of the door were watching over the prison.

7 A nd behold, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter’s side and woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly.” And his chains fell off his hands.

8 A nd the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.”

9 A nd he went out and continued to follow, and he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision.

10 W hen they had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened for them by itself; and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

11 W hen Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know for sure that the Lord has sent forth His angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.”

12 A nd when he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

13 W hen he knocked at the door of the gate, a servant-girl named Rhoda came to answer.

14 W hen she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter was standing in front of the gate.

15 T hey said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting that it was so. They kept saying, “It is his angel.”

16 B ut Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, they saw him and were amazed.

17 B ut motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brethren.” Then he left and went to another place.

18 N ow when day came, there was no small disturbance among the soldiers as to what could have become of Peter.

19 W hen Herod had searched for him and had not found him, he examined the guards and ordered that they be led away to execution. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and was spending time there. Death of Herod

20 N ow he was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon; and with one accord they came to him, and having won over Blastus the king’s chamberlain, they were asking for peace, because their country was fed by the king’s country.

21 O n an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them.

22 T he people kept crying out, “The voice of a god and not of a man!”

23 A nd immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

24 B ut the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.

25 A nd Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their mission, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark.